The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing innovative measurement methods for accurately quantifying DNA and other nucleic acids. This is crucial for various applications in clinical diagnostics, forensics, molecular biology, and agriculture.
NIST’s approach focuses on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) methodology, specifically their high-performance ICP-OES (HP-ICP-OES) method. This method, currently being refined in collaboration with The George Washington University, enables highly accurate measurement of phosphorus content in acid-digested nucleotides and DNA with relative uncertainties less than 0.1% (95% confidence level). By incorporating a demountable, direct-injection high-efficiency nebulizer (d-DIHEN), NIST has significantly reduced sample requirements, from 10 mL to 2.4 mL, while maintaining precision and accuracy.
The successful development of this technique will support the creation of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) with certified nucleic acid content. The biotechnology industry currently relies on absorbance and fluorescence methodologies, which are compromised by impurities and lack SI traceability. NIST’s developed methods provide a reliable alternative, achieving the required accuracy and precision for SRM production.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/potential-primary-measurement-tool-quantification-dna
Keywords: ICP-OES, DNA, NIST
